CC Bresse et Saône

This route will allow you to explore the village of Saint-Bénigne, characterised by scattered settlements grouped into numerous hamlets and divided in two by the D2 departmental road, the Route de Saint Trivier. The walk starts at the town hall in Saint-Bénigne. The Church of Saint-Bénigne was built thanks to Michel Poisat (1802–1869) and his wife, whose tombs are located within this Neo-Romanesque church. Opposite the church, the half-timbered ‘house haute et basse’ is well worth a visit.

On this route, you’ll discover the vast floodplain of the Saône, stretching as far as the eye can see. Once you reach the banks of the Saône, you can see Île de la Motte, which has been designated a Sensitive Natural Area. Île de la Motte is home to colonies of herons: the little bittern, the little egret and the cattle egret, which can sometimes be sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season. The island’s presence on the river also helps to maintain fish diversity. Sediments carried by the Saône have been deposited and accumulated at La Motte, gradually creating small islets and secondary channels. Together, these form a mosaic of natural habitats that is home to an exceptional diversity of species.Beavers are present on the site and, indeed, contribute to its management by cutting branches from willows and poplars to eat their bark.

As you wander along the quiet, shaded paths, you’ll encounter a succession of magnificent views and gems of the local heritage, such as the Romanesque church of Saint-André-de-Bâgé, the châteaux of Montépin and La Griffonnière, the remains of the ramparts of Bâgé-le-Châtel, the chapel of Aigrefeuille and beautiful country houses nestled in the valleys.

This route allows you to explore the village of Chevroux with its traditional Bresse architecture, the hedgerows, the poultry farms, and the ‘poypes’ of Curtetrelle and La Bourchardière.

This route allows you to explore the southern part of the commune with its market gardens, poultry farms and traditional Bresse architecture (La Fougère).

This route takes you through the heart of the Bresse countryside and its farms, many of which are half-timbered. The Domaine de Mareste is situated after the6thkilometre of the route, on the right at the junction with the D46. By following this route, you can admire the Bresse-style architecture, notably the Domaine de Mareste, a complex whose oldest part is thought to date back to the 11th or 12th century. It was formerly a hunting lodge and outbuildings of the Château de Mareste, built by the Knights of the Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem. Private estate!

Starting from Bâgé-la-Ville town hall. This route allows you to explore the arboretum, passing through market gardeners’ fields and various farms.

The Pérouse route will allow you to discover an authentic manor house (de la Pérouse) and an old mill alongside which flows the Pérouse leat. Built in half-timbered style, the manor house dates from the16th century. The church at Dommartin is notable for having its chancel facing west. The niche above the doorway houses a 15th-century statue of the Virgin and Child.